AIA architects design a new Detroit

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From May 17 thru May 24, the American Institute of Architects' Detroit Urban Priorities committee (AIA-UPC) will present its second series of events under the mantle of "Detroit by Design," which is bringing volunteer architects together with community stakeholders and local officials to present new ideas for recreating a city of the future.

May's series of "Detroit by Design" focuses on urban centers, and a free exhibit open to the public through June at the Adam Strohm Hall of the Detroit Public Library holds the work of 90 submissions from designers and teams throughout the world. The exhibit opens May 17 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

"What surprised me most is designers and other people outside Michigan seem to be very interested in Detroit's shrinkage and they are watching closely how Detroiters address it," says Lawrence Tech associate professor Joongsub Kim, who is leading the "Detroit by Design" series. "Some of the notable ideas are a new urban center based on old ideas focusing on residential areas, a futuristic urban center in downtown Detroit, an incorporation of urban agriculture into a high rise urban center building in downtown Detroit, among others."

In addition to the exhibit, "Detroit by Design" will also host a series of roundtable discussions and lectures in the Explorer Room of the Detroit Public Library on Tuesday, May 24. Kim says the events have been coordinated with Marja Winters, co-project director of the Detroit Works Project, and he hopes some of the ideas generated from the series will take seed in the DWP's planning. Other featured speakers include Kate Doughdrill of Detroit SOUP, David Dixon of Goody Clancy (an architectural firm which helped rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina) and Power House artist and activist Gina Reichert.

"We both believe that this event helps promote cross-fertilization between design and other fields and residents' participation in the process, and also bring design awareness to the communities," Kim says. "While we have focused more on promoting the opportunities for a constructive dialogue, we will be discussing how the ideas generated from the entire event can be presented to the Detroit Works Project in a mutually beneficial manner."